In the context of AP Psychology, which of the following best defines self-concept?

• A. A person's ability to understand and share the feelings of others
• B. The process by which people explain the causes of their own and others' behavior
• C. A set of expectations about how people will behave in certain situations
• D. An individual's overall perception and understanding of themselves, including their beliefs, feelings, and thoughts about their own identity

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Identify the key term in the problem, which is 'self-concept'. This term relates to how individuals perceive and understand themselves.
2. Step 2: Review the provided answer choices and recognize that self-concept is not about empathy (understanding others' feelings), attribution (explaining causes of behavior), or social roles (expectations about behavior).
3. Step 3: Recall the psychological definition of self-concept: it is an individual's overall perception and understanding of themselves, including their beliefs, feelings, and thoughts about their own identity.
4. Step 4: Match this definition to the answer choice that best fits, which describes self-concept as an individual's overall perception and understanding of themselves.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the correct answer is the one that defines self-concept as an individual's overall perception and understanding of themselves, including their beliefs, feelings, and thoughts about their own identity.